After the publication of Journey of Insight Meditation in 1978, Lerner moved to Los Angeles to study with the Rinzai Zen Master Joshu Sasaki Roshi. For several years he edited the literary/spiritual journal Zero: Contemporary Buddhist Life and Thought, before embarking on a career as a screenwriter in Hollywood. Lerner’s screen credits include Bird on a Wire, Kiss the Sky, and Augustus. He has also written a novel, Pinkerton’s Secret, and most recently another memoir, Matters of Vital Interest: A Forty-year Friendship with Leonard Cohen.
